Beast
by Penelope Fiction
Summary: Hermione loves Malfoy. Malfoy loves Hermione. Ron loves Hermione. Does anything more need be said?


**Beast**

_Just a one-shot about Hermione realizing that she's in love with Draco Malfoy. I hope you enjoy._

She'd been eyeing him for months now. Searching for a semblance of kindness in his eyes, a sign of compassion in his sarcastic smile. So far, she had been failing. But Hermione Granger knew that there was something decent in Draco Malfoy that no one could see, but her.

Her friends had complained about her infatuation, even tried to analyse it. But she knew that this was beyond calculation. She, Hermione Granger, was unable to calculate something. This was the first time when she could truthfully say that she didn't at all care what they thought.

Hermione knew that when she gazed into Draco's dark gray eyes, she could see life in them, a desire to break free. She knew that her eyes held those emotions captive too. For a while she had tried to resist him, but now she knew that resistance was futile. She had to tell him how she felt. _She_ had to break free.

After meandering aimlessly around the Hogwarts corridors, she managed to find him heading for the Great Hall, alone for once.

He immediately realised that he was not alone and turned to face her, uncertainty clouding his expression...

--*--

She was beautiful, that he could admit. Her brown curls lying on her back and her brown eyes showing for once that she didn't know what she was doing.

How he wished that he could love her. If she wasn't a Mudblood, they would have been able to be together. But his parents would never approve and nor would anyone else in the Wizarding world that he could consider a valuable contact.

But he couldn't control who he loved – could he?

What did he care what his parents thought? He could love whoever he deemed worthy.

He immediately stopped in his tracks and looked back at her, feeling apprehensive as she drew ever closer.

He began to walk in her direction.

_What can I say to her? What will make her understand me?_

"Granger," he began. "There's something I need to tell you."

Hermione raised her eyebrows, and then motioned for him to continue.

"I think I'm in love with you."

_That was brave, wasn't it Granger? Now your answer could turn me into the biggest coward that ever lived._

--*--

"Harry, Ron!" Hermione shouted as she came towards them. They were sitting in the common room working on their Transfiguration essays.

Ron looked at the flushed face of his best friend. It was obvious that she had been running. She had a smile on her face that lit up the entire room.

"You look happy." he noted, running his fingers through his red hair.

"I am." she replied with a grin.

"Why? What's up?" Harry asked her, glad to put down his essay.

"Draco Malfoy has just told me he's in love with me." she exclaimed, almost squealing.

Ron snorted.

"Yes, Ron? Is there something you'd like to share?" Hermione asked.

"Malfoy?! Of all people you could choose from, you picked Malfoy?!"

Hermione groaned. "Not this again."

"Yes, Hermione. We need to talk about this."

"What is there to talk about, Ron? I love Draco and he loves me back. You should be happy for me!" Hermione said with indignation.

"Well excuse me for not leaping for joy...bad back, you know." Ron replied sarcastically.

Hermione was infuriated by this point. "Grow up, Ronald." She turned to leave.

Ron stood up and grabbed her shoulder lightly, but hard enough to stop her walking away from him.

"Hermione, I want to be happy for you. But you need to face the facts: he's a beast. He'll hurt you. I don't want that."

"Well, Ron, you'll just have to put up with Draco, because he's here to stay." she pulled his hand off her shoulder and turned to walk in the other direction.

"I love you." Ron whispered so as not even a ghost could hear the disappointment in his tone.

**A/N: **I couldn't help sneaking a bit of Ron/Hermione in there. I hope you enjoyed the story. Please let me know what you think – this is what reviews are for. To help us grow as writers. This is part of The Disney Cameo Challenge btw. I hope I passed.


End file.
